Midnight Madness provides excitement, anticipation for start of basketball season

There was buzz in the air at the Breslin Center, as MSU’s annual Midnight Madness marks the official beginning of the college basketball season.

After performances by the Spartan Marching Band, cheerleaders and dance team, the MSU women’s basketball team started their introductions with a look back at the history the MSU women’s program.

Head coach Suzy Merchant then entered the arena in a green car and wearing a wonder woman costume, with her two young sons at her side, each dressed as Superman.

“The reason why we chose this outfit, and to celebrate Wonder Woman tonight, is because Michigan State women’s basketball is celebrating forty years of history,” Merchant told the crowd. “I think it was January 30, 1973, women’s basketball played its first ever game.”

She said she has high hopes for this young team and that everyday, she thinks of what they could achieve.

“We’ve got a great group of young kids this year,” she said. “We’re very excited about our team. Trying to win national championships is what we’re about her at Michigan State.”

Men’s head basketball coach Tom Izzo’s entrance may have been his most exciting to date.

After a video showed Izzo putting on the Iron Man suit and flying to different Big Ten campuses and defeating their mascots to rescue Sparty, an Iron Man suit was zip lined across the court, and Izzo walked out of the tunnel wearing the costume.

Before the teams came back out on the court to begin their official practice, Izzo spoke of how he is very confident in this year’s team and possibilities are endless.

He also said that this may be the toughest Big Ten conference ever, but that he thinks his talented team is up for the challenge.